Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

Piriton Syrup and behaviour

28 replies

MissWooWoo · 04/07/2010 18:15

Took dd 3.1 to dr 10 days ago as she has had a cough - he said it was hayfever and prescribed piriton syrup daily.

Since she has been taking this she seems to be more bouncy than normal but not in a good way, she's more easily upset, beligerent, I say black she says white etc, quite horrible really tbh. She's quite a lively one and she's had her moments in the past but generally she's just not like this. The usual talking and explaining is just not working.

Do you think this is to do with the syrup or just her age and a coincidence? Have checked it out on net and can't find anything to say that the E numbers in it are "danger" ones. Drowsy? ha! quite the opposite infact.

going to stop the piriton for a couple of days and see how she is but wondering if anyone else has had similar experience?

OP posts:
cookielove · 04/07/2010 18:30

I have heard that on a few children piriton, will have adverse affects in which the children become hyper, and loose all sense of control

maryz · 04/07/2010 18:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SandyBits · 04/07/2010 18:38

Piriton and medised make both my two hyper. Which is a shame really, as my ds could do with sedation sometimes

geraldinetheluckygoat · 04/07/2010 18:38

Ive heard a couple of people on here say that too, that it makes their kids go totally hyper...

Original poster
MissWooWoo · 04/07/2010 20:34

I really really hope it's the piriton - otherwise I'll be on here all the time yelling "heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp"

OP posts:
VerityBrulee · 04/07/2010 20:43

Ds1 has hayfever and we found Neoclarityn syrup much better than Piriton which made him irritable. Maybe you could try that instead?

Original poster
MissWooWoo · 05/07/2010 10:06

thaks Verity I will seek that out. Could be a total coincidence but dd slept stayed in her own bed and slept through the night. So far this morning she has been an absolute delight ... mind you is only 10am!!! Downside is that she did have a bit of a runny nose this morning but it doesn't seem to be bothering her yet, about to venture out so see how it goes with that. Might try and make it to the end of the week without anything and then we're off to Cornwall and isn't the seaside could for hayfever??!!

OP posts:
Original poster
MissWooWoo · 05/07/2010 10:07

good not could

OP posts:
Ledodgy · 05/07/2010 10:10

Well I took Piriton for the first time the other week and it made me feel awful really whoozy and spaced out and just wrong, like I wasn't in my own body. It made me wonder if it can do that to me what is it doing to the children!

domesticsluttery · 05/07/2010 10:14

Piriton makes DS2 hyper, but sends DD to sleep.

I can't take Piriton as it gives me palpitations.

fruitstick · 05/07/2010 15:08

Medised (when you could give it to toddlers) used to have the same effect on DS1.

I likened it to alcohol. Some people get all mellow and drowsy, other people have a more violent reaction.

I would see if there are any other 'non-drowsy' alternatives.

yellowvan · 05/07/2010 15:12

loratadine is meant to be non-drowsy. Longeracting than pirito too.

olivo · 06/07/2010 20:16

both piriton and medised make my dd go wild. she now takes cetirizine medicine for hayfever and it is fine, non drowsy

Original poster
MissWooWoo · 07/07/2010 16:09

well 3 days in without the piriton and dd's behaviour has improved massively so I reckon it must be that. How bizarre! Pollen count hasn't been high here either so no cough or runny nose either. Will check out some of alternative suggestions here - thanks all.

OP posts:
GuillotinedMaryLacey · 16/10/2011 10:34

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but DD has been on pirition syrup for a rash since Tuesday and she's been a bloody nightmare. Angry, belligerent, hitting and kicking, terrible. She's usually quite a cheery child. Very odd!

Elibean · 16/10/2011 17:06

piriton has no apparent effect on dd2 either way - certainly doesn't make her hyper, though I have heard (here on MN) that it can do that to a small number of kids.

that said, I would never give it to her during the day for hayfever - I give her Benedryl for kids (cetrizine syrup). If she is hayfevery and coughing/streaming at night, I might give her Piriton - or if she gets stung by a wasp etc.

Elibean · 16/10/2011 17:07

Oops, sorry Guillotine - didn't see it was a resurrected thread! I suppose the rash itself (if itchy) might not help with behaviour or moods? But if you suspect the piriton, how about asking pharmacist/doc if you can switch to a different antihistamine? Not sure if any are as effective for skin things, but worth asking..

GuillotinedMaryLacey · 16/10/2011 17:12

Sorry, was debating whether to resurrect but DD's behaviour has been so awful and out of character that I was excited to find others in the same boat a year ago

The blasted stuff was prescribed by my very good GP and is apparently the only thing to tackle this appalling rash she has. In the meantime I might have to give her away to someone else!

pookamoo · 15/04/2012 17:20

Resurrecting the thread once again as my DD1 (3.5) has been absolutely horrible today since I gave her some Boots own brand anti-histamine for an allergic reaction to some face paint. It should carry a "may cause grumpiness and impossible strops" warning on the bottle!

Suzisoo · 16/07/2012 18:02

Thank you so much for this thread- my 4year old has been so badly behaved lately I've been despairing & getting more desperate by the day -he's been having piriton syrup daily & has become the child from hell- even school have noticed a change in behaviour! Can anyone recommend a calming alternative please? We live by a big park so will have to find an alternative, move house or give him away!!! Thanks

UnChartered · 16/07/2012 18:04

ask your GP to prescribe cetirizine instead - piriton has this effect on me and DD

pimmsgalore · 17/07/2012 16:27

we had this with DS, certirzine was worse, the GP ended up telling us to give him his whole days dose in one go in the morning as when given at night it makes them sleep too deeply, causing them not to have enough REM sleep making them over emotional and in my DSs case extremely violent. He said it was like depriving him of sleep for a week, there have been studies done in the US about the links.

lifeafterlondon · 26/07/2012 16:43

Found it really helpful to find this old /new thread. My son had allergice reaction do I gave him piriton for two days and he's been pretty unpleasant. Totally unlike him so am delighted to hear it could be this. Going to seek out the alternatives mentioned for te medicine cupboard incase we need it again. I found a boots own brand of hay fever pills suitable for over 2s I wonder if they are the same. I wonder which ingredient it is that causes the problem.

mickstock · 24/06/2015 00:24

Interesting to read this.
My daughter has been taking Piriteze for a few weeks and her behaviour has been getting steadily worse.
Checking the side effects and reading the testimonials here I am going to take her off it.
I am quite confident that it is the medicine that has been causing her to misbehave.

Thanks for sharing.

yellowcurtains · 24/06/2015 00:29

mickstock- I have found piriteze different to piriton. Piriton made my DD hyper, but piriteze does not.
It may well be that your DD's symptoms are keeping her awake at night, or disturbing her sleep, so that she isn't fully rested and thus her behaviour has deteriorated.
Is it helping her symptoms? The pollen is v high at the moment (my DD is suffering).